Newbie Questions

[Grimreefer616]

I just got 6 baby chicks and plan on 6 more.. Got the water station and the food the light and made a brooding box with a light for them.
I took care of the chickens for a year when I was 16 but don't know a lot other than feed and clean the coop and get the eggs..
Now where do I go from here? How long till they can be outside,rooster or no rooster,free range or run, what kind of chickens do I want for my last 6 I get? I appreciate any help

 

[Intheswamp]

A good place to start is Getting Started Raising Chickens. Read all you can.

Naturally, a couple of biggies is to have a coop and run prepared for when it's time for the chicks to "go outside". About 4-square-feet per large fowl inside the coop. About 10-square-feet in the run per large fowl. I think four to six weeks is pretty standard for the chicks going "outside". If the coop is baby-chick secure and your climate is warm enough they could go out earlier than that...

Rooster... Helps watch over the flock. Alerts hens to danger and to new found treats. Fertilizes eggs. Can be friendly. Can be aggressive. Can be quiet, can be noisy. Another mouth to feed and house that doesn't produce eggs. For what reasons would *you* want a rooster?

Free range vs. secured run... No security for free ranging chickens. Are there many predators in your area? What types are they? Chickens are easy prey. Secured runs help protect the chickens but sometimes predators still make it into them and wreak death and destruction. Dogs are very bad on chickens...it's a sport to (most) of them, so predators are not necessarily "wild" creatures.

More chickens... Until you have a better understanding on what is involved in taking caring of the chickens that you have and their space requirements I would not get more. During the time that you learn the basics you can study up on breeds and form your own opinion of which ones you wish to add.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Grimreefer616]

No predators other than one stray cat but he is old and beat up.. I'm in town but not in town.. I have a coop and it's about 12x16 ish
I want eggs more than chickens for the pot but later as I cycle younger hens to replace the older ones I will get some soup meat..
I am near a semi busy road but we have some chickens up the road free range no issues.
My property is bordered by a wooded hill side on 3 sides with raid front and a 1 acre open field .. Do you think they would just chill in the field?